


we can stay young forever

by blackboxxremedy



Series: Joaquin/Kevin [2]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Boys In Love, M/M, and kevin is just as in love with him, and kevin's an overachiever, joaquin brings kevin flowers btw, joaquin is head over heels tbh, they're ridiculous honestly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-26
Updated: 2017-06-26
Packaged: 2018-11-19 06:14:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11307387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackboxxremedy/pseuds/blackboxxremedy
Summary: Seeing that this is his first official appearance as Kevin’s boyfriend (he excludes Homecoming, because no one really paid attention to them after the drama began unfolding with FP and Betty’s parents and Archie and, well, fuck, everyone) and that he now has Sheriff Keller’s official blessing to be Kevin’s boyfriend, Joaquin wants to go full out: flowers for Kevin, holding his hand in front of everyone, the whole nine, because God dammit, he’s proud of his boyfriend. Really proud.





	we can stay young forever

Joaquin has always known that he’s dating probably the most goody-two shoes gay kid the North Side could offer him, but there are actually times when something happens and makes that fact even more apparent.

According to Riverdale High’s Honor’s Club, Kevin’s racked up somewhere north of three-hundred fifty hours of community service and volunteer hours. Joaquin only remembers this so exactly because Kevin was practically about to burst when he told Joaquin all about it, saying that he was so happy to be getting an award for his college application and that he was so amazed that he’d done so much in just a couple of short years. With anybody else, Joaquin would have taken all of that as a humble brag, as someone trying to act like they did good deeds with oh so little effort, so obviously, they must be a great person, but with Kevin, Joaquin knew better. Kevin did nice things all the time without even being asked, like offering to tutor people’s younger siblings or shoveling driveways for free for the elderly people in his neighborhood during the winter. And obviously, Kevin being Kevin, he was also involved in about a million school clubs and activities, all of which offered opportunities for volunteer work or community service hours. Kevin may have been surprised that he’d gotted so many hours so quickly, but he was about the only one.

Seeing that the people living on Riverdale’s sleepy North Side were always looking for excuses to put together a party that could set the stage for one of Mayor McCoy’s usual “inspirational” speeches, Kevin’s achievement was of course blown just slightly out of proportion. The whole town was invited to watch he and two other “outstanding Riverdale youths” be commended for their achievements in community servitude, cookies and punch provided for free, of course. Kevin himself even said offhandedly that the whole thing was a bit dramatic, but the blush on Kevin’s cheeks told Joaquin that he secretly liked having a production made out of him. Honestly, Joaquin’s glad that Kevin’s getting a little attention- what with the saga of Jason Blossom and all of the recent drama with Archie and that teacher and well… everyone Kevin knows and associates with, Joaquin can totally see how Kevin’s ready for his own time in the spotlight.

Seeing that this is his first official appearance as Kevin’s boyfriend (he excludes Homecoming, because no one really paid attention to them after the drama began unfolding with FP and Betty’s parents and Archie and, well, fuck, everyone) and that he now has Sheriff Keller’s official blessing to be Kevin’s boyfriend, Joaquin wants to go full out: flowers for Kevin, holding his hand in front of everyone, the whole nine, because God dammit, he’s proud of his boyfriend. Really proud.

The award ceremony, in true Riverdale fashion, involves just a little too much grandeur and a somewhat comprehensible speech from Mayor McCoy, its message the same as always: Riverdale High's molding some of the finest in the next generation, these kids are great, blah blah blah. Joaquin’s really not paying attention, because Kevin is glowing, and he’s also wearing one of his tighter sweaters and this pair of pressed slacks that make his ass look amazing… (Joaquin will admit that he’s a little ashamed when he almost forgets to stand up and clap after the awards have been handed out.)

Kevin’s grinning as he goes backstage, sneaking his dad and Joaquin a goofy little wave before he disappears behind the edge of a curtain. He’s such a little dork with his certificate and his tie, and Joaquin just wants to kiss him all over.

Joaquin is in a flirty mood when Kevin comes back into the auditorium from a side door, still clutching his award, so he says, “I knew you were a goody two-shoes, I just didn’t know you were a goody two-shoes in the ‘three hundred fifty plus hours of community service hours’ kind of way.”

Kevin rolls his eyes and looks affronted, but he’s blushing. Joaquin hands him the flowers he picked out especially for him, a little bunch of tulips and baby’s breath in butcher paper, and Kevin looks like he’s three seconds away from honest to God giggling.

“Shut up,” Kevin murmurs, talking around his smile, and Joaquin would kiss him right there if Kevin’s dad wasn’t standing three feet away from them.

“But seriously,” Joaquin says, “I’m really proud of you and everything you did.”

This time, Kevin actually does giggle.

They eat some cookies and punch, Kevin refusing to go put his flowers in the car or with his coat, even though he looks like he’s having trouble holding them, his little plastic cup of punch, and his cookie all at the same time. Joaquin knows that they’re attracting more than a few looks, but only for the fact that they’re openly being affectionate with each other. Joaquin may not make straight A’s like his boyfriend, but he knows where and where not to wear his Serpent jacket, that’s for sure.

The only direct put-down comes from a group of Riverdale’s “finest” athletes. They implement the use of one of their signature, deeply cutting, immaculately crafted insults that Joaquin, as a gay teenager living in a small town, has never seen before: miming a blowjob in Joaquin and Kevin’s direction, looking more at Joaquin after Kevin lowers his eyes and looks almost sort of ashamed. But these meatheads don’t know Joaquin, don’t know that he’s put up with worse than them in the very recent past. They look physically sick when Joaquin licks his lips obscenely in their direction, never batting an eye as he looks a few of the up and down. Like scared children, they scatter to the wind faster than they appeared, probably afraid that they’ve just “caught the gay” or some other backwater shit like that.

Kevin’s wide-eyed when Joaquin turns back to him, but then his face softens. “Thanks,” he says quietly, almost whispering, and Joaquin squeezes his hand.

“Those fuckheads wish they could get with me,” is all Joaquin says, softening as he adds,“or you, for that matter.” Kevin laughs at that, his shoulders relaxing, and that’s all Joaquin wanted. He hates that those guys bother Kevin at school and even around town sometimes. Joaquin went through some of that shit too, in freshman and sophomore year, but then he earned his Serpent jacket and it went away; Kevin doesn’t have that kind of protection.

They go out for milkshakes, just the two of them, and Kevin’s fully himself in the way that he normally reserves for when he and Joaquin are completely alone. He talks and laughs and shamelessly flirts with Joaquin even though Pop’s is packed, and Joaquin decides that he loves this. He loves drinking milkshakes with Kevin, he loves holding Kevin’s hand across the table, and really, he just loves Kevin.

Joaquin has a beautiful daydream while Kevin goes on about something Veronica told him the other day, and he can see the two of them doing this for decades, can picture them old and happy together. It almost sort of makes him want to cry, except he won’t do that in front of Kevin, not here, because then Kevin would cry too, just because. And truly, Joaquin never wants to see Kevin cry, even if he’s happy, because just the mere thought of that makes his chest hurt.

“I love you,” Joaquin says suddenly and softly, and Kevin looks all dreamy and sweet for a second before his mouth twists into the smirk Joaquin loves so much.

“I love you too, babe,” Kevin says quietly. “Why don’t we go down to the river so I can show you exactly how much?”

**Author's Note:**

> i just want kevin and joaquin to be cute, supportive boyfriends forever and always. 
> 
>  
> 
> (oh and from now on, it's safe to assume that in any of my joaquin/kevin fics, joaquin never left and basically joaquin was never involved in fp's mess.)


End file.
